What Does Faith Mean in the Bible?

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Learn about spiritual faith and how to build it in your life

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What is faith?

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How Can You Be Faithful

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Faith vs. Hope vs. Belief

You’ve probably heard the word “faith” at church or in everyday conversation. But what does it mean exactly? In Christianity, faith describes an unwavering trust in the Lord. This means you believe in God’s power without actually seeing it in action. Keep reading to learn more about spiritual faith, where you might see it in the Bible, and how to cultivate it.

Things You Should Know

Faith is the act of trusting the Lord no matter what.
In the Bible, faith is described as “the confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1).
To be a more faithful Christian, follow the 10 commandments, be kind, and pray to the Lord.

Section 1 of 3:

What is faith?

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In the Bible, faith is trusting God’s power unconditionally. Faith is the act of having great trust or confidence in someone or something.^{[1]XResearch source} Religiously, this refers to a belief and unwavering trust in the Lord. For instance, when someone has faith, they believe and trust God’s word and love for them.^{[2]XResearch source}

They don’t need proof of God’s power—they believe it’s there no matter what. As Hebrews 11:1 states, “Now faith is the confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”^{[3]XResearch source}Think of spiritual or biblical faith as swinging on a rope and jumping into a body of water. Faith is letting go of the rope and trusting that you’ll land in the water, whether that’s by God or another divine power’s hand.The term “faith” appears in the Bible around 460 times and is often used to describe instances when God Himself can’t be seen:
- “For we live by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).^{[4]XResearch source}
- “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ” (Romans 10:17).^{[5]XResearch source}
- “Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised” (Romans 4:20-21).^{[6]XResearch source}

Section 2 of 3:

How Can You Be Faithful

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To be faithful to God, you must trust that He loves you. Faithfulness in religion is an unwavering loyalty to the Lord and His rulings. To be faithful as a Christian is to trust and love Him no matter the circumstances, just as He trusts and loves you.^{[7]XResearch source} So, how do you do that? Follow these tips to be a more faithful person of God:
- Follow the 10 commandments, even when it’s difficult.
- Love your neighbors and express kindness always.
- Think well of others instead of assuming the worst.
- Resist temptations.^{[8]XResearch source}
- Strengthen your relationship with God by praying and obeying His commands.^{[9]XResearch source}

Section 3 of 3:

Faith vs. Hope vs. Belief

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When you have faith, you have trust in the present moment; when you have hope, you trust what’s to come. Faith and hope work together to preserve trust in the Lord; as Hebrews 11:1 explains, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”^{[10]XResearch source}
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Faith is trusting something's true, while belief is knowing something's true. While faith and belief can go hand in hand, they’re not the same thing. Faith is having steadfast and unconditional trust in someone or something without knowing if it’s real or not. Meanwhile, belief is the knowledge that someone or something is real.^{[11]XResearch source}
- In Christianity, a strong belief doesn’t necessarily constitute faith; as James 2:19 says, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.”^{[12]XResearch source} You can believe in God, but if you don’t trust and follow His word unconditionally, you likely don’t have faith.